1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electric or electronic animal traps, and relates more particularly to an animal trap adapted to catch and electrocute a targeted animal, and also to rearm in the event the continuing presence of the animal is not detected upon completion of a killing cycle.
2. The Prior Art
A number of animal traps have been developed which include structural devices to trap an animal and prevent its escape, along with electric or electronic components which act to kill the trapped animal.
One such device is found in copending application, Ser. No. 10/043,161, filed Jan. 14, 2002 (the '161 application), now U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,328, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The trap disclosed in the '161 application is virtually escape-proof, electrocuting the animal while also providing a visual indicator signaling when the trap has initiated a kill cycle and thereafter requires servicing to remove an electrocuted animal.
Other trap designs that have effectively prevented pest-escape in the prior art are set forth in copending application, Ser. No. 10/320,688, filed Dec. 17, 2002 (the '688 application), now U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,899, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The diverter traps disclosed in the '688 application utilize at least two fixed barriers or diverter members that are positioned between the opening of the trap and a pair of spaced charge plates electrically connected to a voltage source. The two charge plates are configured such that contact with both charge plates simultaneously by a target animal will actuate the electric charge to effectively kill the animal.
While these traps may be used effectively with smaller rodents and insects, a problem still exists with larger pests such as rats in that, while the trap may have been triggered by an animal so as to initiate the kill cycle and subsequent entry into a standby mode requiring service to reset the trap, larger vermin may not have been able to fit into the trap or, if subjected to the voltage, may not have been killed and may have escaped. As a result, since the standby mode indicates the presence of a dead pest, because it was in fact initiated by a false trigger, wasted effort is expended by exterminator personnel or other users in servicing and resetting a trap which is, in fact, already empty.
Therefore, a need exists for a trap that combines an electronic circuit having higher voltage to provide greater killing power, with a detection mechanism that is able to rearm the trap without human intervention in the event of pest escape.